Heroes don't have to be famous.
I admit to be an auto racing fan. I have been one most of my life. Most of my friends don’t understand what I enjoy about cars driving round and round an oval. I quote-more likely misquote-what Louis Armstrong had to say about jazz-“If you can’t feel it, I can’t explain it.”
I am not talking about NASCAR races. Most TV races bore me to tears. I am talking about Saturday night, grassroots racing. If you Google “whowon.com,” click on tracks, then click on Ohio you will find over 75 such tracks listed, including arguable the most famous dirt track in the United States, Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The track has been owned by NASCAR star Tony Stewart for several years, but if you are a fan of dirt track auto racing, it has been a Mecca for decades both for open wheel and stock car fans. Pick one of your local tracks and go to the races yet this season. You don’t even have to thank me when you have a great time.
True Racing Heroes
The word drive is used often in the sports world. LeBron James drives the lane and slam dunks over anybody he wants to. John Elway’s Hall of Fame career is highlighted by 4th quarter drives that led the Denver Broncos to the unlikeliest of victories. Tiger Woods can drive a golf ball 300 yards. When a pitcher makes a mistake in baseball, a good hitter drives the ball out of the park. We all know the courage and skill of race car drivers to make a fast car go fast.
Our greatest athletes are driven. Does this make them heroes? I don’t think so. They use God given talents at the utmost level, but are also paid millions of dollars to do so. I think they are to be admired, even highly admired, but their athletic skills don’t qualify them as heroes.
What athletes do outside the arenas, ball yards, and race tracks can make them a hero. Kyle Petty was a good, not great NASCAR driver. However, his Victory Junction Gang Camp for terminally or chronically ill children is a fantastic program. Scores of other athletes have used their wealth, fame, and connections to help hundreds of thousands of people. What they accomplish off the field may be a result of what they accomplish on it, but that doesn’t diminish the good they do for others.
But does it make them heroes. They do good, great work, but is it a heroic effort? Most famous athletes are associated with or sponsored by large companies. Even with the economy as it still is today these companies spend millions on such athletes. That tends to make the path to helping people much wider and easier to follow. And, most sports stars have a PR firm working for them. The name alone is going to attract media attention to a cause, and the publicists will ensure the right people know what is happening at the right time. Again, with an army of helpers, the efforts of well known athletes are to be admired, but I am not so sure it makes them heroes.
The Bryan Racing team of Lincoln, Nebraska is not famous in the sports world. It is a blue collar, hard working, low budget, racing because they love to race team. They do not have any multi-million dollar sponsors to fill their shop with every part a sprint car team could dream of. Heck, their entire budget for a year would not keep Tony Stewart racing in operation for a day. But every Saturday they are back at America’s Home Track, Eagle Raceway. Driver Nick Bryan races hard and clean and sometimes does good, sometimes not so well. Does this make the Bryan Racing team heroes? No, not heroes, just people we should admire.
But the Bryan Racing team, Bernie, Rhonda, and Nick are heroes in my book-if I ever get it written. Years ago Bernie had a heart condition that required surgery. Bernie survived the surgery, but at the same time a young fan of the team suffered through a terminal illness. It was difficult for Bernie to deal with the question of his survival when this youngster with so much living to do died. What was the purpose of Bernie living?
In stepped wife Rhonda, Saint Rhonda of Eagle, the Mother Teresa of sprint car racers. To thank the good Lord for Bernie’s survival and to honor their young fan, they would do something special at Eagle Raceway’s annual Kid’s Night. Like many good projects it started simple, and grew and grew. A handful of bikes blossomed into a semi load of bikes to give away, then three semi loads. Last year, through the Bryan’s efforts, and yes Rhonda others help a lot, but you are the DRIVE behind the giveaway, 353 kids received new bikes at the track.
Picture three semis loaded with bicycles, and several dozen people scurrying to unload them unto the front stretch of a dirt race track as 5,000 or so race fans watch from the grandstands. It is chaos, though organized chaos. Then try-emphasize try-to picture 353 excited youth with 353 just as excited parents filling the front stretch of the track, picking up a brand new bicycle. I have watched this happen twice, and I am at a loss to describe this happening in the way it deserves. Remember the feeling you felt when you received your first bicycle. Multiply that by 353. Simply, if you are ever there, you will never forget it.
I said I have been at Eagle twice to see the bike giveaway. Last night was time number two. Rhonda’s goal each year is similar to the goal of Jerry Lewis with his telethon. Lewis always says he wants just one dollar more than the previous year, and Rhonda wants to give away just one more bike. One more bike this year proved to be a tremendous challenge for the Bryan’s. I don’t need to do a long story on the economy, but for many the $42.80 donation for one bike was a challenge.
The month before Kid’s Night at Eagle is always stressful for Rhonda, but this year it was tougher than ever. For much of the month it looked like Rhonda’s goal of “one more bike” was not going to be met. It wasn’t met until the absolute deadline. 354 donated bikes, one more bike than 2008, were handed out to 354 thrilled kids last night.
Toss out the $15,000 spent on new bicycles. Forget the hundreds of hours the Bryans and other volunteers spend on the program. Look at the smile on the face of one child going home with a brand new bike. Yeah, the Bryans are heroes. Rhonda is a hero.
But you can’t forget the money collected, you can’t forget the hundreds of hours needed to make the project a success. You can’t forget the Bryan’s are not media darlings and they do not have an army of high priced publicists helping them achieve this goal. Rhonda had a dream and made it happen. Then made it happen again and again. Look up hero in a dictionary, and you will find this definition: a person celebrated for special achievements and attributes. What the Bryans have achieved is special, and has taken heroic effort to achieve. Take a bow Rhonda, Bernie, and Nick. You are true racing heroes.